Recipe

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A delicious and simple one-skillet recipe made with chicken thighs, rice, veggies, and saffron.

Growing up in Spain, one simple and delicious dish we often ate was Spanish chicken & rice, or Arroz con Pollo. Here’s how my grandma used to make it.

full skillet of rice, peas, peppers and six cooked chicken breasts with crispy skins

Authentic Spanish Chicken and Rice

The flavors of this recipe are as close to what I remember from my childhood and bring back happy memories of my grandfather and his back-yard chickens and my grandmother cooking Valencia rice with aromatic spices in the kitchen. You could taste the quality of the ingredients in every bite.

In this simple recipe for Spanish chicken and rice, I used chicken thighs cooked over saffron rice; yielding a fragrant, delicious, one skillet meal. By the way, this Basque chicken is another epic Spanish recipe you’ll want to try!

Ingredients

Chicken thighs and long-grain white rice are the base of this recipe. The aromatics you’ll use are onion, bell pepper (any color), and fresh garlic cloves or garlic paste. Saffron is a classic spice in this dish, but in a pinch, smoked paprika works well. You’ll also need chicken broth and frozen peas. I usually include a bay leaf for extra flavor, but omit it if you don’t have.

Top left: chicken thighs, white rice, chicken broth, red bell pepper, peas, onion, garlic, olive oil, saffron, salt, and bay leaves in bowls. Top right: chicken thighs browning in a white pot. Bottom left: rice cooking with diced red pepper and onions in the pot. Bottom right: chicken thighs simmering on top of the rice mixture in a seasoned broth.

How to Make Spanish Chicken & Rice

Here's an overview of the steps and a recipe video below to help you make the best Spanish chicken and rice:

Brown the chicken skin-side down for 2 minutes before flipping and browning another 2 minutes. This is the key to getting a golden sear. Remove from the skillet and set aside onto a plate.
Sauté the aromatic veggies for 2 minutes or until softened. Add the saffron, salt, and bay leaf, give it stir and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Add the rice to the veggies and toast for 1 minute, to give it more flavor. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
Add the thighs over the rice and bring to a simmer. Cover the skillet with the lid and cook for 30 minutes. In the final 5 minutes, remove the lid and top the mixture with the peas. Cover with lid and finish cooking.
Allow it to rest 5 minutes or so before serving yourself a generous portion of arroz con pollo!

Plate topped with rice, vegetables and Spanish Chicken

More Grandma’s Chicken Recipes

Along with this Spanish chicken and rice, other skillet recipes I love and remind me of my childhood are these chicken thighs with potatoes, these chicken livers with onions, and this chicken stew with potatoes.

Spanish Chicken and Rice (Grandma’s Recipe)

Servings: 6

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 45

A delicious and simple one-skillet recipe made with chicken thighs, rice, veggies, and saffron.

5 from 28 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
1 white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of saffron threads or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
1 leaf bay, optional
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 ¼ cups chicken broth*
¾ cup frozen peas

Instructions

Brown the chicken:

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down and brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and set aside onto a plate.

Sauté the veggies:

In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, until softened, then season with saffron, or paprika, salt, and bay leaf. Continue to sauté until golden brown and softened, about 3 minutes.

Cook the rice:

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the rice. Cook for an additional minute while stirring, then add the chicken broth, stir, and top the mixture with the chicken thighs. Bring to a simmer and cover with lid, cook for 30 minutes.
In the final 5 minutes of cooking, top the rice mixture with frozen peas and cover with lid. Once the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 175F and the rice is tender, remove the pan from heat.
Serve chicken thighs over rice.